Foundation Trust

Introduction

The RUH is now an NHS Foundation Trust. This means we are free from central government control, but we continue to deliver free care based on need, not ability to pay. We can be more flexible about how our money is invested in patient care and are more accountable to patients, staff and visitors through a body called the Council of Governors.

Being an NHS Foundation Trust does not mark the end of our journey to improve care, but it is a milestone along the way, and we're looking forward to continuing our journey together, with you.
If you'd like to know more detail about how we will operate as an NHS Foundation Trust hospital, you can read our Constitution.

Overarching principles of being a Foundation Trust

We have more of a say over how our services are structured and run in order to meet the needs of our local community

We have greater freedom over how we spend our budget and how we manage our resources. Any surplus we have at the end of the year can be retained and channelled back into our services

We are accountable to our members who are represented by an elected Council of Governors. Anyone: staff, patients, carers and members of the public can become a member or governor of the hospital